Calculating-machine



G. H. LYLE.

CALCULATING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 28. 1918. 1,324,561. Patented Dec. 9,1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

e. H. LYLE. CALCULATING MACHINE.

APPLICATlON FILED MAY 28. 19|8.

Patented Dec. 9, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- GORDON H. LYLE, OF EAST FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA.

CALCULATING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 9, 1919.

7 Application filed May 28, "1918. Serial No. 237,088.

To all whom it may concern:

lie it known that I, Gonnoiv H. LYLE, a citizen. ofthe'Unit-ed States, residing at- East Falls Church, in the county of Alexandria and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Calculating-Macl ines, of which the following is a specification.

The improvements comprising this invention have to do with the art of registering machines, and embody primarily protective provisions for insuring proper operation of that type of such machines in which the registers or calculators are directly actuated by manipulative keys, as distinguished from machines of the key-set, crank or main actuator operated type.

The primary purpose of my invention has been to design an efiicient form of device for compelling a full stroke of the actuating keys for the registers. An appreciation of the need of a suitable device of the class mentioned will be had when it is understood that in reference to certaintypes of keyactuated calculators the liability of improper and inaccurate operation of the machine is so great that it is necessary ordinarily to educate or train an operator before proper handling of the machine may be insured, and even then the machine is by no means fool proof, or even proof against liability of mis-operation.

The factors which conduee to failure to properly operate machines of the class described may in part be outlined as follows: In the first place, certain types of these machines require a variable throw of the digit keys in performing their actuating function respecting the registers. Again, a variable touch upon said keys is required on account of "the variable throw aforesaid and due to the impracticability,

' thus far, of devising provisions for estabimproper and lishing a uniform resistance action respecting the various keys of each order or col umn.

The foregoing factors create liability of inaccurate operation of the keys because the keys of the higher digit numbers having the larger extents of movement or throws, in performing their actuating functions will create an improper registration if they are not depressed each the entire distance of its operative register actuating movement. Thus the keys of each column or order from 3 to 9 approximately may create inaccurate registrations if the operator in his quick finger movements fails to cause a complete actuation of the key. l urthermore, should the operator who not infrequently depresses three or four keys at one time, not permit the complete restoration of a key of these relatively higher digit numbers, and then cause a second depression, there will be a failure to carry into the register with which said key cooperates the complete number of digits which should be registered up and a failure of proper operation will result under such conditions.

I have devised a comparatively simple full stroke compelling device adapted to be associated with each key of the register and which will perform the function of insuring full stroke action, commonly known as such in the art, by the use of which device the various avoidable possibilities of defective and inaccurate operation of the machine, a few of which have been noted above, are obviated.

A full understanding of the construction and advantages of my improved device will be apparent on reference to the aftergoing detail description in connection with the ac companying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a typical section or unit of a non-listing calculator sh wing the mechanical devices associated primarily with a single column or order of keys and illustrating my full stroke compelling devices in operative relation to the keys;

Fig. 2 is a view of exaggerated size in side elevation showing a single key stem of the construction required for the pur oses of the full stroke compeller associate therewith as seen in the View;

Fig. 3 is a view in front elevation of the key devices and full stroke compelling means, the view being a transverse section throughv the unit illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig.4: is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the key depressed and associated parts correspondingly adjusted as when the key is about to be released for restoration;

, Fig. 5 is a horizontal section taken about on the line 55 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail view showing the walking gear and ratchet mechanism alone.

Throughout the following detail description and on the several figures of the drawings, similar parts are referred to by like reference characters.

The keyboard and registering mechanism illustrated in Fig. 1 may be said to be conventional excepting in so far as modified by the adaptation of my invention thereto. Said mechanism is that commonly employed as one of the various units making up the complete calculating machine now marketed today and known ns the Burroughs calculator, a non-listing type of machine wherein the registers are actuated directly from the keys,

It suffices, therefore, to note that the registers shown in the drawings are operated from the various keys 2 in the well known manner through the intermediate provisions of a compound lever made up of the pivoted triangular shaped lever member 3, the floating lever member 1 and the stop bar or link 5. The lever member 3 is pivotally mounted on a frame plate 6 as shown at 7, has a pivotal connection at 8 with the rear end of the floating lever member 4 and a second pivotal connection at 9 with the rear end of the bar or link 5.

At its front end the floating lever member 4: is supported pivotally by a curved link 10, and at the front end thereof the bar or link 5 is connected pivotally as shown at 11 with the adding rack 12, the latter consistin of a lever pivoted at 13 and provided \Vll a rack or toothed sector at its upper portion engagcable with the adding gear 11, a portion only of which is visible in Fig. 1 of the drawings. Since such parts form no feature of the present invention, the train of gearing leading from the rack member 12 to the adding wheel 1 will not be described.

Those versed in the art will understand that the keys 2 have the key stems 2' thereof formed with the projections 2", seen best in Fig. 3, which projections overlap the floating lever member 4. The key stems 2 also have lateral projections 2 in the path of lugs 5 on the link or bar 5, said lugs being indistinctly shown in Fig. 1. The depression of a key 2 depresses the lever member 1 through the engaging action of the projection 2 upon said lever member. The movement of the member 1 is communicated to the lever 3, thence to the link or bar 5, from the bar 5 to the rack member 12, and thus through the train of gearing connecting said rack member to the adding wheel 1.

My full stroke mechanism best illustrated in Figs. 2 to 6 inclusive embodies the following parts associated with each key 2 and a peculiar construction of the key stem of such key. The key stem 2 is formed with a clearance opening 15 at one side of which.

are formed teeth forming a rack 16 lengthwise of the stem. At one side of the stem 2 is a downwardly extending spring 17 affixed in any suitable manner to the stem; likewise at the opposite side of the stem is a similar spring 18 projecting upwardly. Both springs are adjacent to the clearance opening 15 as evident from Fig. 3.

On a bottom plate 19 suitably securedbetween the side frames 6 between which each order or column of keys is arranged, is pivoted an arm 20. The plate 19 may act as a guide plate for the key stems which pass therethrough and has an end bearing for the springs 21 employed to restore the keys 2. At its upper end the arm 20 has a lateral portion on which is rotatably mounted a walking gear or pinion 22 having fixed thereto to rotate therewith a ratchet wheel 23. The wheel 23 and therefore the gear 22 is prevented from moving in one direction by the pawl 24 pressed into engagement with the ratchet wheel by a spring 25. It is notable that the lateral portion of the arm 20 carries at opposite sides of the gear 22 the laterally extending pins 26 and 27 disposed on opposite sides of the arm.

The various parts of the full stroke compelling means having been above set forth, the action of .said means may now be presented.

Normally the gear 22 engages the lower end portion of the rack 16 of the key stem when the key is restored or upraised, as seen in Fig. 2. Depression of the key causes the relative movement of the key stem 2 and gear 22 whereby the gear may be said to walk up the rack 16. At a certain point in the downward movement of the stem 2 the upper spring 17 engages the pin 26 on 100 the arm 20 and said spring is thus pressed outwardly rendering the same active, tensionally speaking, to exert a pressure laterally upon the upper end of the arm 20.

uring the downward movement of the 105 key 2 it is obvious that the ratchet parts 21 and 23 prevent such reverse movement of the gear 22 as would be required to permit restoring or upward movement of the key.

The preventing action is maintained, fur- 110 opening by movement transversely of said 120 rack, by the action of the spring 17 upon the in 26. Thereupon, of course, the gear being in a position to walk down the opposite side of the rack, turning in the same direction as before, its locking resistance to u 125 ward movement of the key is automatical y eliminated and the key will freely return to its upward position under the action of its spring 21, if said key be released. Once the key has started upward it is apparent that 180 ()n the completion opening 15 again to assume the original or normal position thereof as seen in Fig. 2 of the drawings. It is of course evident that the arm 20 has a sort of floating action in that it freely swings to allow the lateral shifting movements of the gear 22 in the n i anner described.

I have ascertained in practice that the full stroke controlling parts as hereinbefore set forth afi'ord a quickcontrol action permitting the keys 2 to be operated at high speed as requisite in calculators of the type to which my improvements appertain. The springs 17 and 18 variably act to promptly kick the walking gear 22 across the clearance opening 15 as said gear reaches the portions of said opening at the opposite extremes of the rack 16.

It is obvious that the floating arm 20 constitutes a carrier for ratchet devices including the ratchet wheel and pawl parts 23 and 24, which carrier is shiftable by the springs on the key to effect changing coaction of the.

ratchet means with the key, said coaction in one instance serving to compel a full down stroke of the key 2 while in the other instance a full up or return stroke of the key is made necessary. The ratchet devices, of course, operate through the intermediary of the gear 22 which constitutes really an interengaging means between the ratchet means and the key rack 16.

While I have illustrated a mounting of the arm 20 elvtending upwardly from the bottom of the key column unit, it is evident that an inverse arrangement might be employed. I furthermore do not wish. to be limited to the specific instrumentalities which I have set forth above as preferably utilized in obtaining the full stroke action of the keys for these parts may be modified in quite a number of difl'erent ways to produce the desired result.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is 1. In a calculating machine, the combination with an actuating key, of full stroke compelling means therefor embodying a floating gear element movable-transverse to the key movement, the key having a rack from one side to the other of which said gear element is adapted to travel while engaged with the rack.

2. In a calculating machine, the combination with an actuating key, of full stroke compelling means therefor embodying a floating gear element movable transverse to the key movement, the key having a rack around which said gear element is adapted to travel while engaged with the rack, and means to prevent the gear element from turning in one direction.

In a calculating machine, a calculating device, an actuating key therefor, equipped with a rack, and full stroke compelling means cooperative with said rack including a gear adapted to engage and travel around and transverse to the rack incident to movement of the key, and means to prevent movement of the gear in one direction.

i. In a calculating machine, a calculating device, an actuating key therefor equipped with a rack, and full stroke compellingmeans cooperative with said rack including a gear adapted to engage and travel about the rack incident to movement of the key, means to prevent movement of the gear in one direction, and means for shifting the gear from one side of the rack to the other.

5. In a calculating machine, a calculating device, an actuating key therefor equipped with a rack, full stroke compelling means c0- operative with said rack including a gear adapted to walk abou the rack incident to movement of the key, means to prevent movement of the gear in one direction, and means for shifting the gear from one side of the rack to the other consisting of yieldable members mounted to cooperate with the gear as an incident to the movement of the key.

6. In acalculating machine, the combination of a calculating device, a key for actuating the same provided with a rack, a floating gear adapted to travel upon oppo site sides of the rack, means to prevent turning of the gear in one direction, and springs on the key operative to shift the gear from one side of the rack to the other at a predetermined point in the movement of the key.

7. In a calculating machine, the combination of a calculating device, a key for actuating the same provided with a rack, a floating gear adapted to travel upon opposite sides of the rack, means to prevent turning of the gear in one direction, and springs on the key operative to shift the gear from one side of the rack to the other at a predetermined point when the key reaches opposite extremes of its movement.

gear beingarranged to travel up one side of the rack and down the other side, and means I upon the key cooperating with said arm to cause shifting of the gear from one side of the rack to the other.

9. In a calculating machine, the combination with a calculating device, of-an actuating key therefor provlded With a clearance opening and a rack intermediate the ends of said clearance opening, a floating arm, a

; gear on said arm, ratchet devices to prevent movement of the gear in one direction, said gear being arranged to travel 'up one side of the rack and down the other side, and springs on the key cooperative with said arm try-shift the gear through the clearance open-- fing 'svhen the key reaches opposite extremes ot'its movement.

1.0. In a registering machine, an actuating key, a carrier ad acent thereto, ratchet means on said carrier, and means to shift the carrier to cause changeable coaction of the 20 ratchet means with the key to control the movement of the latter.

11. In a registering machine, an actuating key, a carrier adjacent thereto, ratchet means on said carrier, and means on the key to 25 GORDON H. LYLE. 

